Month: September 2009

"Inventive" Refs

SUB ENTERS FIELD, PLAYS BALL

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Question:
How should the following matter be addressed?

Our game involved experienced upper teen-aged players. During the game, a defender attempted to kick the ball into touch/out of play to stop the attack. The ball struck a waiting substitute (in this instance, a substitute for the defending team) at the midfield line who was standing too close to the touch line; thus, the ball never completely crossed the touch line but rebounded and remained on the pitch.

In our game, the referee stopped play, verbally admonished the substitute, and restarted using a drop ball near the intersection of the touch and midfield lines. This remedy just doesn’t feel right to me. The substitute had control of where they were and, by being too close to the touch line, committed an act that interfered with play.

In conversation with other referees, several other alternatives to the above procedure have been discussed:

· Caution (yellow card) to the substitute for unsporting behavior (UB), restart with an indirect kick by the non-offending team at the point where the ball struck the substitute. This is my preference as it recognizes the substitute has been improperly involved in the play.

· Play on, as the substitute has the same status as any part of the field – overhanging tree limb, corner flag, referees, etc. I am uncomfortable with this as I do not see the substitute as being something either incidental or necessary to the field or maintenance of the game.

· Treat the ball as if it had completely crossed the touch line (ignoring the contact) and allow the attacking team a throw-in. While this fulfills the nature of how the play should have developed, it certainly lacks honesty and impinges on the integrity of the game and its referees.

Depending upon the proper remedy, what would be the restart if the struck substitute were on the attacking, rather than defending, team?

USSF answer (September 16, 2009):
If a substitute has entered the field without the permission of the referee — which this substitute has done by being too close to the line, no matter how inadvertently, and playing the ball — the Law prescribes the correct punishment and restart. (See the Interpretations of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees at the “back” of the book, Law 3.)…

Law 12 - Fouls & Misconduct

SLOW BUT STEADY WINS THE RACE

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Question:
As always, many thanks for the excellent resource you provide.

A question has arisen in another forum regarding how long the referee team has to make a call. Specifically, the scenario was given as:

a. During a play for the ball in the penalty area, there is a collision, with no foul committed at that time; three players simply tangle and go down, and the ball caroms away.

b. While the players are untangling and getting up, and the referee’s attention is on the next play some distance away, a still-sitting defender deliberately cleats an opponent in the thigh.

The referee does not observe this, but the AR does. However, the AR does not immediately recognize this for the foul and misconduct that it is.

c. While play continues, the AR is replaying the scene is his mind, and gradually comes to the realization that the incident deserves a send off, presumably for violent conduct.

d. No more than 15 seconds later, play is stopped for an injury.

The AR now has a moment to completely consider what he saw, gets the referee’s attention, and relates what happened. The referee sends off the defender.

Here is the point of dispute. I believe that, since this referee stopped play for the injury, and the AR made no decision at the time, but only after the fact, that the restart is determined by the reason the referee stopped play: a dropped ball. The other point of view is that, since play has not restarted since the incident occurred, the referee team is still empowered to punish the foul as well as the misconduct, and the restart should be a penalty kick.

I appreciate that making the correct call is always the primary concern, but I believe the referee needs to maintain some personal integrity here. This was not the case of an AR signalling for a foul & misconduct at the time it occurred, and not getting the referee’s attention until after play was stopped. The AR did not make up his mind until (in my opinion) it was too late to call the foul. For the misconduct, of course, it is never too late, at least until the match report is filed.

What do you say: dropped ball or PK?

USSF answer (September 15, 2009):
In this case, the original reason for the stoppage is irrelevant. The assistant referee is reporting serious misconduct in the play prior to the stoppage.

Send off the defender for violent conduct. Restart with a penalty kick for the foul against the attacking player.

Give the AR a magic pill to make him/her observe more closely and think more quickly.…

"Inventive Coaches"

INTERFERING COACH

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Question:
I was refereeing a U12 rec game with 2 young AR’s (both were 14 yrs old – one boy & one girl). The girl was on the team side and the boy was on the spectator side during the first half. One of the coaches was constantly calling for offside (the players were in offside positions but were not involved in play – so no call, there was one offside that needed to be called and it was) and he was questioning some out of play calls. The girl AR requested to switch sides at halftime and I allowed it. I didn’t want the coach to start to influence her calls and I though the boy would be better able to handle it. About 10 minutes into the second half, the coach noticed the switch and called me over to complain that it was against the rules. I told him it was a rec league and really didn’t matter since their was nothing in the league rules. Is there any official FIFA rule on this? I checked my books after the game and could not find anything.

USSF answer (September 14, 2009):
Ah, those amazing and inventive coaches! The reason you cannot find any reference to switching the location of your assistant referees is that there is nothing in the Laws about it. Nor is there any position paper about it. There is no need for any rule, as the assistant referees are there to ASSIST the referee, who may ask his or her assistants to work on one side in the first half and on the other in the second half. If the circumstances require it, the referee may switch the ARs’ positions at any time during a period of play.

We cannot stress enough that most coaches know little or nothing about the Laws of the Game and how referees are supposed to work. (Note that this does not apply to all coaches; some, even though not referees themselves, know as much as most referees.) One thing many coaches do very well is how to manage the referees and their assistants. A question here, a niggle there. Anything to make the referee or AR upset and to affect their judgment.

The wise referee will nip this activity in the bud by taking the first opportunity to let the coach know, politely and professionally, of course, that such actions will not be tolerated. What is the consequence to the coach for interfering with the game and the officials? A nice seat well away from the field, out of sight and out of hearing.…

Law 12 - Fouls & Misconduct

MISCONDUCT BY GOALKEEPER (HANGING ON/MOVING THE GOAL)

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Question:
I was involved in an interesting conversation last weekend at a youth tournament.

Here is the scenario:

The ball is passed/shot towards the goal. The ball appears to be going over the cross bar. The goal is a not of the strong variety. As the ball is approaching, the goalkeeper jumps and grabs the crossbar (causing the bar to dip) as the ball goes into touch. If the goalkeeper had not held onto the crossbar the ball would have made contact and might have stayed in play.

There are now two questions:

#1 Should the goalkeeper be given a yellow card for Unsporting Behavior for bringing the game in disrepute for hanging on the crossbar?

#2 What should the restart be?

*goal kick since the attacking team played the ball out of bounds
*drop ball because of the goalkeepers action for hanging on the crossbar

Thank you for taking the time to read my question.

Why has the “ask the referee” link been removed from the website? It was my favorite thing to read.

USSF answer (September 14, 2009):
1. Caution to the goalkeeper for unsporting behavior.
2. Restart with an indirect free kick for the opposing team on the goal area line at the point nearest to where the goalkeeper committed the unsporting behavior.

If the referee needs to do more to promote his/her control of the game, the goalkeeper could also be dismissed for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the player’s goal by an offense punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick — in this case the indirect free kick for the misconduct.

The U. S. Soccer Federation’s website is being rebuilt. Ask A Referee will return in the fullness of time. Meanwhile you can find all the current and past questions and answers at http://www.askasoccerreferee.com .…

"Inventive" Refs

MISCONDUCT DOES _NOT_ CHANGE THE RESTART!!!

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Question:
There is free kick outside the penalty area. defensive wall set inside the box. While defense setting their wall, defender push down an opponent into the ground inside the box at near wall. Referee changes the free kick call to the PK call. Is this a correct procedure?

If not what would you do?

USSF answer (September 9, 2009):
It is certainly not correct (or allowed under the Laws of the Game) to change the restart because of something that occurs when the ball is out of play. The defender should have been cautioned or sent off, depending on the nature of the push to the ground, and the restart should have been the original free kick.…

Law 12 - Fouls & Misconduct

SHIELDING VS. HOLDING

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Question:
If a player is screening the ball and it is in playable distance, is it legal for the screening player to raise their arms to make it harder for the opposing player to get to the ball?

USSF answer (September 8, 2009):
Under normal circumstances, “screening” means that there was no physical contact. Here is a citation from the 2009/2010 Laws of the Game, Interpretations of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees (IGR), has to say on the matter:
“Shielding the ball is permitted. A player who places himself between an opponent and the ball for tactical reasons has not committed an offense as long as the ball is kept in playing distance and the player does not hold off the opponent with his arms or body. If the ball is within playing distance, the player may be fairly charged by an opponent.”

When physical contact occurs, which is what the IGR means when it refers holding off an opponent, the act has been converted into “holding” and is punished with a direct free kick. The shielding player is allowed to use a normal amount of arm and elbow room, but not to extend his/her arms beyond that range.…

"Only in America!"

CARDING COACHES

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Question:
During an U-15 boys game that became a phsyical “pushing” game between both teams and the referee let the physical game continue. The parents from both teams began to “voice” their opinions regarding the lack of calls by the referee. The center referee was visibly showing signs of being very emotional (crying), and stopped the game with about 10 minutes remaining. She blew the whistle and said “I’m stopping the game, its a tie”. She then left the field with the 2 assist. referee. The next day I received a call from my league that I was suspended for 2 games and that the referee from the game reported she issued me a red card after the game. She never spoke to me after she stopped the game and she just walked off the field. Can a referee do this? I spoke with the coach of the other team and he was not aware or told of a red card being issued to me or anyone.

USSF answer (September 8, 2009:
Unless the rules of competition for your league (or other competition) specifically allow it, the referee is not permitted to show a card of any color to a coach or other team official. Under the Laws of the Game (the rules we play by), coaches or other team officials cannot be shown cards or sent off for any reason, but may be expelled from the field and its environs for irresponsible behavior.

Given the circumstances you describe in this case, we recommend that you gather all the information you can from impartial witnesses and submit a report of your own to the league and the state youth soccer association. You should also understand that the officiating crew may, as a result, do likewise. Its better not to start this process unless you are convinced that you did no wrong in all this “voicing of their opinions,” and that rules of your competition do not hold you responsible for what the parents of your team may have said.

Further, while the referee has the right to terminate play for general disorder (based on safety considerations), the referee cannot determine the outcome of the match.  All the referee can do is report that a match was not played to its conclusion and to describe the circumstances (including any scores recorded prior to the termination).  Anything after that is up to the competition authority based on its local rules.…

Law 18 - Common Sense

PROPERLY INFLATED BALL

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Question:
Law 2 says that a properly inflated ball is between 8.5 and 15.6 psi at sea level. Lately I have been presented soccer balls which are labeled “inflate to 6-8 psi”. I have insisted that the ball be inflated to at least 8.5 psi. Am I right to assume that the Laws of The Game trump the manufacturer’s label?

USSF answer (September 8, 2009):
The specifications for the ball listed in Law 2 are intended primarily for play at the senior adult and international level. We do not know what sort of balls have been presented to you, but if they “feel” all right for play, we suggest you allow them to be used. Remember that the referee is the sole judge as to whether the ball meets the requirements of Law 2.…

Ball in Play

“PASS BACK”

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Question:
Defender has the ball, passes it back to the goalie, offense player, from opposing team, attempts to intercept the ball, can the goalie pick up the ball?

USSF answer (September 8, 2009):
No. In other words, if the goalkeeper picks up the ball in this situation, he or she is punished for handling the ball deliberately kicked to him or her by a teammate.…

"Inventive" Refs

FLIP THROW-IN

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Question:
I have been told that the flip throw in is illegal. The only documentation I have found to support this is on page 128 of the 2009-2010 Laws of the Game of the fifa website. This is what it says:

“If the ball touches the ground before entering the field of play, the throw-in is retaken by the same team from the same position provided that it was taken in line with the correct procedure. If the throw-in is not taken in line with the correct procedure, it is retaken by the opposing team.”

If a player tries the flip throw and the ball touches the ground in the process of delivering the ball, they simply retake with a “normal” throw. Is this correct?

USSF answer (September 8 2009):
No, none of the above applies in this case. Whoever told you the flip throw-in is illegal has likely been abusing illegal substances.

The text you refer to, part of the 2009/2010 Interpretations of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees, means that the throw-in is retaken by the opposing team if the ball, after being released by the thrower, touches the ground before entering the field of play. It has nothing to do with the flip throw-in, referred to by the IFAB and FIFA as the “acrobatic throw-in,” which is perfectly legal if performed in accordance with the requirements of Law 15.…